The present invention relates to a lock device that locks a power plug connected to an inlet.
Battery-powered electric vehicles, such as electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, are environment-friendly and have become popular. A battery-powered electric vehicle includes an inlet connectable to a power plug extending from, for example, a household commercial power supply to charge the battery of the vehicle.
When charging the battery, to prevent unauthorized removal of the power plug from the vehicle and prevent theft of the power plug, a plug lock device may be used to lock the power plug to the inlet and restrict unauthorized removal of the power plug.
For example, the plug lock device may include an LF antenna. The plug lock device transmits a request signal from the LF antenna to the surrounding of the inlet. When a request signal is received from an electronic key, wireless communication is performed between the electronic key and the vehicle. After the electronic key is verified through wireless communication, when an unlock switch arranged near the inlet is operated, the power plug is unlocked (refer to, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-244590). Thus, only the user, who is carrying the authentic electronic key, may unlock the power plug and remove the power plug from the inlet.
The plug lock device described in the '590 publication has a complicated structure due to the unlock switch physically arranged near the inlet.